The present invention relates to umbrella frames and, more particularly, to an umbrella frame having extendable structures defining projecting ears or other shapes.
Heretofore, novelty umbrellas have been developed having extending structures defining various shapes protruding from and in addition to the characteristic dome umbrella shape. Most notably these shapes take the form of baseball caps or hats as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,597,400 Trudeau, Sr., 4,641,675 Wu, 4,760,610 Wu et al., 4838,290 Wu, and 4,884,586 Szu et al. In these patents, extra ribs radially outwardly project from the lower portion of the dome shaping ribs to define the bill or rim of the cap or hat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,023 Lin discloses another novelty umbrella having extending structures defining ears that outwardly project from the characteristic dome umbrella shape. The umbrella includes a characteristic runner slidably surrounding the handle which, in addition to the normal strut members that are connected to and extend from the runner, include two sets of extendable looped-shaped ribs which are likewise connected to the runner. These looped-shaped ribs outwardly project beyond the characteristic dome ribs when the runner is upwardly extended to define ears. An additional brace member is also pivotally attached at one end to a dome rib and at the other end to a respective looped-shaped rib intermediate the outwardly extending portion of the ear structure. Thus, as the runner is pushed up, both the struts and the looped-shaped ribs are extended while one portion of the looped-shaped rib pivots the respective brace member to thereby define the ear structure.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a simpler, less complex umbrella structure that defines outwardly projecting ears or similar structures when the umbrella is fully extended.